Culture Renovation® Celebrates One Year Anniversary as Definitive Blueprint for Corporate Culture Change

Based on research from thousands of organizations, acclaimed book is used by many to proactively create healthier and more productive corporate cultures

Seattle, January 19, 2022 – Culture Renovation®, which has become the definitive blueprint for companies that want to change their organizational cultures, celebrates its one-year anniversary today. The book, already in its fifth printing, is in use by countless organizations worldwide as a step-by-step guide to healthier and more productive cultures. Hitting #1 on many new book release lists when first published, Culture Renovation® continues to enjoy its position on best-seller lists, favorite-book-of-the-year mentions, and has been featured by Forbes, Chief Executive, SmartBrief, Human Resource Executive, Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead podcast, and more during 2021.

“Like it or not, the pandemic has changed most organizations’ cultures, and now many leaders want to take a more proactive approach to shaping corporate culture for a new future work reality,” said author Kevin Oakes.

“The success of Culture Renovation has been remarkable, and every day I hear from readers of the book that they enjoy the combination of data, real-life stories, and practical advice on how to create real impact. I’m blown away by how many organizations have told me they are using the book as a blueprint for a better tomorrow.”

Corporate culture matters—and research proves culture is inextricably linked to organizational performance. But the harsh reality is that only 15% of organizations that attempt any sort of culture change will succeed. Those that do will likely have embraced a mindset of renovation that starts with their leadership when it comes to enacting culture change.

In CULTURE RENOVATION: 18 Leadership Actions to Build an Unshakeable Company (McGraw-Hill; January 19, 2021), Kevin Oakes, CEO of the world’s leading HR research firm—the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp)—provides the definitive blueprint to create a powerful culture that delivers tangible business benefits. Drawing on data from one of the largest studies ever conducted on corporate culture, Oakes details how high-performance organizations such as Microsoft, T-Mobile, 3M, Patagonia, Mastercard, and many more have successfully made significant culture changes. 

“The best playbooks are a combination of reliable research, relatable examples, and actionable strategies,” said Brené Brown, PhD, author of New York Times #1 bestseller Dare to Lead. “This is the best playbook I’ve seen when it comes to creating organizational cultures that create competitive advantage, unlock performance, and rehumanize work.”

The book showcases how organizations with healthy cultures outperform those with unhealthy cultures by virtually every measure—from revenue growth, market share, and profitability to customer satisfaction. It walks readers through 18 steps for evolving any culture into one that drives agility, growth, and an improved employer and consumer brand, including:

• Employing a comprehensive listening strategy to deeply understand the existing culture to determine what stays and what goes
• Identifying the traits of a healthy corporate culture
• Painting a clear vision for the future that will guide a business for decades to come
• Establishing a co-creation mindset
• Identifying the influencers and energizers who become culture ambassadors and are instrumental in successful change
• Ferreting out skeptics and non-believers who typically derail the best intentions
• Determining how progress will be measured, monitored, and reported
• Implementing talent processes to ensure change is sustained long-term

“Your employees are the engine that powers ideas, innovation, and success of your company every day,” commented Ajay Banga, Executive Chairman, Mastercard. “A strong culture can provide the right fuel to nurture and empower your teams. In Culture Renovation, Kevin [Oakes] reinforces how leaders can learn from others and create the environment that enables each employee to make a difference.”

“Culture change is hard but can be such an accelerant to growth, and Kevin Oakes nails it when he says you need a real renovation to unlock your organization’s potential,” added Kathleen Hogan, Chief People Officer, Microsoft. “His 18-point guide is a ready roadmap with key insights on how to create a successful partnership with HR to effect lasting change.”

Culture Renovation is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Porchlight, and other business book outlets. For more information, please visit www.culturerenovation.com.

About i4cp

i4cp is the leading authority on next practices in human capital. We produce more research than any other human capital research firm, and many of the world’s most prominent organizations and HR leaders turn to i4cp to better capitalize on emerging workforce trends. Supported by a powerful community of human capital practitioners, we provide insights that help organizations better anticipate, adapt, and act in a constantly changing business environment.